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Chapter Four

An Unwelcome Change

The earth rumbled around them.

At first, it was subtle, barely arousing Rosalie awake. She blinked a little bit, wiping some drool from the corner of her mouth as she sat up curiously. Shrugging it off, the rolled over and tried to fall back asleep.

Suddenly, the earth shook violently again, and a shriek cleft the air. Rosalie jumped up, scared and slightly confused, whipping her head around violently. She saw Demyan on the ground, and Sully frantically trying to strap on pieces of her armor while the earth trembled and shook. Her and Frederick's horse reared back in fear, and Virion was trying to regain his balance near a tree.

Another shriek cut through the air, over the quaking earth, and Frederick snapped his head up. He glanced around the camp sight quickly, and caught Rosalie's glance. He widened his eyes and he realized what she did.

Chrom and Lissa were not here.

Immediately, the knight grabbed his silver spear and hopped upon his brown steed, armorless, and sped off in the direction of the shrieks, despite the earthquake. Sully was cursing up a storm, strapping on the last piece of her armor despite the quakes. Rosalie was surprised by her quickness. Was she trained to put on armor in the middle of a catastrophe?

Just as suddenly as the earthquakes began, they stopped, and directly above them, a magic circle appeared. Rosalie was somewhat familiar with them, since she was, in fact, a magic user, but never saw one so large, or with such darkness filtering around the golden runes. In the center, a curved blue line. The four Shepherd's stared at it.

"Wha... What is it?" Demyan said in disbelief, asking the obvious. No one answered, just watching as the curved blue line snapped open like an eye, and something emerged from it, falling just a little bit in front of them. Now their attention was on that as it slowly rose up from the ground.

It was hunched over and gauntly thin, patches of skin stretching across it's body. Rags hung from it's hips, arms much to long for it's body, it's knuckles just barely brushing the ground. Its hands weren't really even hands, just mangled excuses for hands with sharp claws that could no doubt tear easily through flesh and muscle. It's legs seemed frail, like the may crack and break if it so much as tried to lift them. It's face wasn't even visible. Instead, it was covered by an executioners mask, mouth stitched up grimly, eye holes filled with a menacing red glow. What Rosalie found most terrifying, though, was that the head under executioners masked seemed to jerk back and forth uncontrollably, as if it was yearning to break free from it.

If this thing wasn't death come calling, Rosalie wasn't sure what was.

It stared at the four for a moment, before lifting it's long, gangly arms and, with a surprising amount of grace, began sinking underground. No one was sure what to do. They were unsure what this creature even was! There was a long, drawn out silence, when suddenly, Sully let out a scream.

The thing began pulling at her legs, trying to pull her underground. No one was sure what to do, so Virion took aim with his bow, and shot the thing straight through it's glowing red eye. It hissed, sinking back underground.

"Nice shot, Ruffles." Sully said, scrambling back and grabbing her spear. Virion smirked arrogantly.

"But of course! Leave war to the warriors, my dearest Sully!"

"War for the warriors, eh?" Sully responded. "Good thing I'm a cavalier." The creature came up in front of them. Rosalie took action.

"Everyone, attack it now!" she screamed. Demyan immediately responded by growing claws from his fingers and slashing through it. Sully gave the finishing blow by spearing the creature, watching in satisfaction as it let out a growl of defeat. It disappeared in a puff of of black and purple smoke, confirming what Rosalie originally thought.

They were dealing with dark magic, and judging by the sheer size of the circle in the sky, they weren't dealing with an average mage, or even an average dark mage, who cast a spell gone wrong. This was high level sorcery, something beyond what even a Sorcerer with high level of magic had. This had to be something cast by a god...

The earth shook again, knocking her out of her thoughts. Sully's horse reared back, terrified, and Sully made haste to get next to it and calm the white steed down. Rosalie looked up at the sky, catching a faint orange glow, curious to see if the sun was rising. Her guess couldn't have been further. Fireballs were falling down upon them, lava acting like rain. Frederick's armor rattled about, rolling this way and that as the earth trembled. Rosalie took note of this and widened her eyes.

Frederick, though proving his high amount of skill with his steed and lance, was unprotected without his armor. They were in the middle of countless earthquakes, fire balls, a rain of lava, and strange creatures risen by some ungodly dark magic. On top of that, she had no idea where Chrom and Lissa went off to. Lissa had no way to protect herself except her healing magic, which could only last so long. Chrom was indeed a good swordsman, but he was just that, a man.

Worry and dread fell into her stomach like ice. Was that Lissa screaming earlier? It had to be.

"Everyone, we need to catch up with Frederick and find Lissa and Chrom!" she ordered. "Lissa is our top priority right now. If she's separated from Chrom or Frederick, she's completely vulnerable. Make sure you have a good supply of elixir on hand and be cautious. We don't know what this new enemy can do. Sully, you go with Virion in the direction Frederick went. Demyan and I will try to track Lissa. We'll regroup here as quickly as possible. Move out!"

She wasn't sure what made them listen, maybe the fact that she was taking charge in a hour of complete chaos had something to do with it. But Sully obeyed, hopping onto her horse with Virion sitting behind her, then sped off in the direction where Frederick went. Rosalie turned to Demyan.

"I don't know much about the powers and abilities of the Laguz. Care to enlighten me?"

"I'll just make it brief, okay?" Demyan said as he bent over, placing his hands firmly on the ground, tail in the air. Suddenly, he glowed a golden light, becoming enveloped in it. Then, instead of a man in front of her, Rosalie was staring into the face of an amber-eyes, rather large, dark purple cat. "Hop on." he ordered, voice deeper and somewhat more gravelly than before. Rosalie followed orders, and was suddenly speeding through the night.

"So you can transform into a huge cat." Rosalie said.

"Cougar, to be precise." Demyan said, irritated. "I have intensified senses, even when I'm not transformed, and night vision. When my eyes are amber, you'll know I'm using my night vision. I'm naturally stronger and faster than the average human, but, in my case, I can't stay transformed for long periods of time."

"You have your limits."

"Of course." he said. "I'm stronger in my cougar form, but in my human form, not so much. When my body can't handle much more in my cougar form, I'll transform back, wether I want to or not."

"This is just you? Why?"

"Just 'cause." he answered. "Oh, and I should probably mention that when I get really angry, I'll loose control of my cougar form and transform and go on a murderous rampage. Again, my eyes will glow amber when this happens, so ya better knock me out before I wipe out half your army."

"Uh... Duly noted." she said.

"We're close to Chrom." he stated. "I think Lissa is with him and... someone else."

"Frederick?"

"No, not Frederick. Isn't Sully or Pansy-Pants either. Someone else." he said as he skidded to a stop in a clearing, just as more of the monsters came upon them and a male in a cape went to take care of some of them. Lissa screamed upon the sight of the cougar, and Chrom stood defensively.

"Chrom, stop!" Rosalie exclaimed, leaping off Demyan's back. "It's Demyan!" He furrowed his brow, and Lissa let out a sigh of relief.

"Milord! Milady!" Frederick exclaimed as he practically crashed into the clearing. "You're safe!"

"That young man saved me!" Lissa exclaimed, looking around. "Hey, where'd he go?"

"He went thattaway." Demyan nodded his head in the direction that he and Rosalie saw the young man go.

"The beast can talk?!" exclaimed Chrom.

"Of course!" Demyan said. "Remember? Demyan the Laguz?"

"We'll catch up to him later," Frederick said as they saw more of the horrid creatures making their way towards them. "After we put these... things... to the blade."

"Right!" Rosalie said, determined. "Frederick, I know you're wary to trust me, but please, let me guide you, okay?"

"Do you take me for a fool, Rosalie?" he asked.

"As of now, yes." Rosalie said. "You ran off in a panicked mess without your armor. I know that Chrom and Lissa are your top priority, but you left unprepared, ignorant of the problem, and left your comrades behind. From what I can tell, Chrom is handy with a sword, and judging by the scar I bare on my stomach, Lissa is no fool when it comes to healing magic." Frederick glared, and Rosalie kept her gaze steady. "I may not know your skill very well yet, but I know that without armor, you'll fall with one arrow." she said. Frederick turned his head to the side.

"You are correct." he said. "You may guide my sword."

"Thank you." Rosalie said, turning to the enemy. "From the one we fought back at the campsite, they sank underground and pop up to grab your legs and drag you underground, either to suffocate you or to make you an easier target, but I wouldn't put it past them to try to claw at you."

"We fought ones who wielded axes." Lissa piped up.

"Good to know. They have knowledge of our weapons. Mages?"

"Don't know." Chrom said.

"Alright." Rosalie said. "Frederick, allow Lissa on your horse, in case those underground ones come up and target Lissa. Demyan, how much longer can you stay in your cougar form?"

"A while now." Demyan said. "If I go back, I've still got my claws."

"Okay. Chrom, are you okay?"

"Little shaken up, but fine." he answered.

"Alright, the three of us will fight them. Hopefully Sully and Virion will catch up soon. Frederick, you protect Lissa and spear any of 'em if they get to close. Lissa, you heal anyone who gets hurt."

"Right!" Lissa said, clutching her staff.

"Here they come." Chrom said as the monster came forward.

"Lets go!" Rosalie ordered. Demyan immediately leapt forward, clamping his jaws around the nearest monster, then tearing it apart. It was a rather disgusting scene, but worked just as well in killing. Once completed, Demyan was still.

"Oh, GODS!" he exclaimed, shaking his head back and forth. "That's horrible! Absolutely horrible!"

"What is it?" Rosalie asked, blasting another creature with magic.

"The taste!" Demyan said. "Gods! It tastes like that burnt chicken that was left out in the sun for fourteen days I had to eat for punishment!" he gagged a little bit just thinking about it.

"Perhaps instead of worrying over your own discomfort," Frederick said, coming up next to him and spearing one of the creatures. "You should focus on the battle at hand!"

"Well, you try eating one of these things!" Demyan shot back, slashing through one with his claws. "Bear meat will taste like the finest cut in all of Ylisse!"

"Stop arguing!" Rosalie ordered. "It won't help our fight!" she slammed her crackling palm into the chest of one of the creatures, this one wielding a sword. She smirked triumphantly as it slumped forward, then frowned as she felt her hand sinking into the flesh. She gasped as the creature looked up at her, smirking as she tried to pull her hand free. She quickly muttered an incantation, waiting for the electricity to explode along her palm, then quickly became horrified at the delay. The creature raised its sword above its head, full intent to kill.

She let out an exclamation of shock as it's head suddenly fell while it's chest exploded from her electric attack. It's sword fell to the ground as it disappeared in a puff of smoke. She breathed heavily, looking at the hand that was stuck in it's body.

"Thank you." she said, looking up at Chrom. "Are these creature common in these lands?" she asked, letting out another burst of electricity,

"No, at least, not in Ylisse." Chrom said as he stabbed one. Rosalie looked across at Demyan and Frederick. Lissa was healing a wound on Demyan's side, while Frederick speared anything that dared to get to close. Once healed again, Demyan ran forward and slashed through one of the creatures.

"Captain Chrom!" Rosalie heard Sully exclaim. "Gods, I knew I shouldn't have left 'em! Alright, ya ugly things, who wants a taste of my spear first? I know the perfect place for it! Right up your-!" Sully stopped for a moment, letting out a war cry. Rosalie turned, and saw a spear go through the chest of an undead mage. Rosalie gulped at this. Not only did they know how to wield weapons, but they knew about magic as well. Regardless, she quickly scooped up the spell book. She flipped through the pages. This was wind magic, a little more powerful than her thunder magic. She looked at the cover, the runes rearranging themselves to English. Elwind.

"You guys okay?!" Rosalie shouted over the sounds of battle.

"Never better!" Sully said.

"We passed a young man as we came. He was killing some of the creatures!" Virion reported.

"That must've been the guy Lissa mentioned..." Rosalie mumbled. "Okay, Sully, Viron, stay together! Virion, when you can, try to shoot an arrow at the circle in the sky, see if it has any effect, okay?!"

"But of course!" Virion exclaimed, already notching an arrow on his bow. Rosalie scanned the Shepards as they fought, smiling slightly as she saw that the creatures falling quickly. She looked at they sky, seeing that the creatures seemed to have stopped falling from the magic circle. She glanced at the amount of enemies they had left. Demyan and Frederick had about ten creatures, while Sully and Virion had about seven or so.

"Chrom!" she exclaimed, coming up to him. "I think they're done coming from the sky! We need to find their leader!"

"What, like a zombie chief?" Chrom asked. Rosalie smirked, tucking some of her green hair behind her ears.

"Any look important?" she asked, scanning them. She widened her eyes as she saw one with long, dark, greasy-looking hair hanging back near some cracked earth, lava bubbling up around it. Rather than fighting, it watched the fight.

"You see it too?" Chrom asked.

"That's the one." she said. She glanced at him, and he glanced back, then both nodded, bursting forward, wielding their weapons.

"Milord!"

"Brother!"

The calls rang out in union, Frederick in surprise, Lissa in high-pitched fear. A couple monsters swarmed around them. Chrom swung his arm out, slashing through the middled of one of the beasts, killing it instantly while Rosalie let the power of the Elwind fly from her fingertips.

"Are you ready?" he asked. Rosalie smirked.

"Of course!" she exclaimed.

"On my mark!" Chrom exclaimed, rushing forward and catching the chief by surprise. It roared, pulling out its axe and blocking the attack. Chrom smirked, as if expecting this.

"Over here!" Rosalie exclaimed, allowing Chrom to jump back as she unleashed slashes of wind onto the creature. It whirled around, giving Chrom an opening to stab. Soon, it became blatantly obvious that the creature had no idea what to do when being attacked by separate people. As Rosalie attacked with magic, it would turn to attack her, but then Chrom would stab it, and then it would try to attack him. It was so pitiful that Rosalie almost cried for it.

"You're finished!" she exclaimed, unleashing the final round of wind, destroying the creature as it gargled out in defeat. Rosalie and Chrom looked at each other, and looked back to their comrades, still fighting against the last few creatures.

"Still got some fight left in you?" Chrom asked. Rosalie smirked.

"Of course!" Rosalie exclaimed. Both got ready to dash off again, when Chrom suddenly let out an exclamation of shock.

"Gods!" he exclaimed as Rosalie looked down, seeing two of the creatures holding onto his ankles, dragging him down and away from her.

"Chrom!" she yelled as she saw them successfully manage to drag him over the edge of the broken earth. She took a diving leap, just managing to grab his wrist. She looked down over the edge, saw that the creatures has let go of Chrom's ankles, falling, shrieking, into the fiery pit below. Rosalie felt sweat on her brow as she tried to pull him back up, Chrom scrambling while trying to avoid getting burned. She looked around frantically, glancing over her shoulder as she saw that everyone was still occupied with the remaining monsters, though Frederick was trying to rush to their aid.

She ground her teeth together, struggling to pull him up, her tome falling beside her. She looked at it, then widened her eyes.

"Chrom!" she exclaimed. "I'm going to send an Elwind under you to lift you up! Once you're on the ground, run! The wind will flare up the fire!" she glanced at the pages, screaming incantations, runes forming around her. She imagined the wind moving down and under Chrom, runes surrounding him and throwing him over her to safety. Chrom turned to help her up, but she pushed him back. Like she suspected, the the fire flared up dangerously, scorching her clothes and legs as she tried to scramble back.

"Damn!" Chrom exclaimed, grabbing her under the arms and dragging her back, away from the fiery pit but also a good way away from the fighting. "Lissa!"

"I'm fine!" Rosalie exclaimed, gritting her teeth trough the pain. "Keep fighting! We're almost done!" She took off her cloak, trying to beat out the flames that alit her pants and boots, successfully managing to put them out before she was wearing nothing but scorched rags. She winced as she slammed her hands on the burns, glancing at them. Healing magic or not, those were gonna leave some nasty, nasty scars.

"Aaaaaaaaand DONE!" Demyan exclaimed as the final creature fell in a puff of smoke. Lissa hurried over to Rosalie, immediately attending to her burns while Chrom stabbed his sword into the ground, sitting next to Rosalie.

"Looks like I owe you new clothes as well as a new sword." he said, between tired breaths.

"Yeah..." Rosalie said, sighing in relief as she felt the burns heal. Sully and Virion got off her horse while Frederick lead his steed to them. The two former fell where they stood, breathing heavily while Frederick stood tall, trying to hide his weariness. Demyan was laying down on his back, feet in the air. He glowed for a moment and then went back to his human form, legs and arms falling to his sides with a thump.

"I don't think I've ever been so tired after a fight." Sully said, hands propping the rest of her form up. "Damn." Rosalie nodded. The adrenaline was wearing off, now leaving the Shepherds confused and rather scared. What had they just fought? Was this a one time thing, or where they destined to see more of these in the future?

Footsteps approached them, and they all warily looked up. Chrom and Lissa recognized the young man immediately.

"You have no more reason to fear." he said. "I've taken care of the rest."

"You didn't answer my question earlier." Chrom said, standing up. "What's your name?"

"You may call me Marth." he answered.

"Marth?" Frederick asked. "After the hero-king of the old?"

"What you did back there was very brave." Lissa said, smiling. "Thank you."

"I am not here to talk about me." Marth said. "Your world now teeters on the edge of a terrible calamity. Tonight was only a prelude. You have been warned." with that, he turned and walked away. Sully did a double take, blinking, mouth agape.

"Our world teeters on what now?!" she exclaimed. Marth ignored them, and continued walking.

"Not much of a conversationalist, is he?" Rosalie asked. Chrom shut his eyes, chuckling.

"I'm sure his talents lie elsewhere." he said, turning to her. "Can you stand?"

"Just fine." she said.

"We should travel back to Ylissetol, make sure that the capitol wasn't affected or attacked." Frederick said.

No one argued.

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SO. Hope to get a review, please~!

Amy47101 signing off! ^.^